King Henry | Goose Island Beer Co.

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Notes / Commercial Description:
Brewer's notes:
Aged in Pappy Van Winkle 23 bourbon barrels, previously used to age Rare Bourbon County Brand Stout. King Henry is a burgundy hued English-style barleywine with aromas of vanilla, oak, and dark fruit. Caramel and toffee flavors blend together with bold notes of bourbon delivered in a smooth body followed by a malty finish. No matter the occasion, King Henry promises a regal drinking experience.

At DLD, buddy saved me a pour of this whale from the early am bottle sharing in line. The BEST and I mean the BEST friend ever as this isn't the first time he has saved a pour of a whale for me to try. Had a beautiful rustic orange brown color and even looked thick. Had a great balance of the barleywine flavors with the used BCBS Bourbon barrels. Just something else I can't describe partially due to lots of other beers during DLD. But easily this was the one I recall and stood out from all the other great beers. That alone tells ya how great this one is.

Cola color with burnt orange outer rim when held to light. Beautiful butterscotch on the nose. Luscious, full front palate that fades a bit too quickly. Perhaps the age is starting to get to it, but I was looking for more depth and mouthfeel. Very easy drinking and a very solid BW.

L: pours dark brown, medium syrup looking thickness, no head
S: sweet and sharp dark fruit, mellow bourbon.
T: big flavors...not lacking at all after 5 years. Big sweetness, bourbon still hugely present. Still has a bit of alcohol bite, not harsh but not as smooth as I figured / hoped.
F: medium thickness, smooth as can be. Coats well.
O: an awesome babw! But a step behind Ba vermilion's richness and thickness.

Appearance- The beer poured a murky brown color with a mocha colored head.

Smell - The beer had a muted sweet malt nose.

Taste - The sweetness of the barley wine and bourbon blend together perfectly. Notes of vanilla, chocolate, sweet malts, and candied prunes are present. Any burn from the bourbon is masked. It may be the aging but any hotness is gone.

Mouthfeel- With the style in mind, the feel is both malty and creamy. Any sense of carbonation has disappeared.

Overall- For purposes of comparison, I would've liked to of tried this fresh. Even five years later, this is a darn good beer.

Pours a very flat brown that let's a little bit of light through. The smell is very sweet raisin, vanilla and Rare like; a lot of the barrel comes through on this. Surprisingly there is still some heat in the nose. The taste is a lot of the same. It is impressive how well it has held up for 5 years. It could easily do another 5 IMO.

Honestly, I don't think it's much better than a BCBBW -- not in the way Rare triumphs over regular BCBS. If I were given one of the two randomly, I don't think I'd be able to get the answer right every time. I'm happy to have gotten to try it, but for what it takes to get one, I'll have a BCBBW instead.

10/08/2011 Bottle of King Henry. Opaque sable brown poured, creamy 1/4 inch head. The aroma was delicious. Just heavenly! Taste- Nutty, caramel, bourbon. Like a smooth liquor, warmed me to my soul. Substantial mouthfeel, but not too thick. Syrupy smooth and very fine. Shared with friends, all had enthusiast words of praise. Wish I had another, but the first taste of the fruit will always be the best.